Railway-switch-operating means.



G. PHILLIPS.

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MEANS} APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 1913.

' 1,076,313. Patented 0011.21, 1913.

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G. PHILLIPS. RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1913. I

Patented 0013.21, 1913.

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RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1913.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 29, 1913.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

Serial No. 744,941.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARROLL PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tahoka, in the county of Lynn and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Imrovements in Railway Switch Operating Means, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to railway switches and means for operating the same, and resides in the construction, combination and operative arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a satisfactory reduction of my invention to practice, but it is to be understood that the important instrumentality thereof may be varied and so I am not to be limited to the precise organization of parts illustrated therein, but I am entitled to such modifications as fall within the scope of the annexed claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan View of the track showing the switch point operating mechanism, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the car provided with the improvement, parts being shown in section, Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same, Fig. 4: is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line H of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a sectional view upon the line 55 of Fig. 2, Fig. dis a perspective view of the carriage for the throwing arms, and Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view upon the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the main line of the railway track, 2 the side line and 3 the switch point which is adapted to direct a train either to the main line beyond theside line or to the side line. The switch point is pivoted, as at 4:, and has loosely connected therewith a link 5 which in turn is connected with a bell crank lever 6, the said lever being pivoted to one of the ties. Pivotally connected at a suitable distance away from the bell crank lever 6 and to one of the ties of the main line, as well as one of the ties V of the side line are. bell crank levers 7 and 8 respectively. Connecting one of the arms of each of the said levers with the free arm of the lever 6 are rod members 9 and 10 respectively. Each of the levers 7 and 8 has its free arm provided with an upset portion forming a contact member, the said members being designated by the numerals 11 and 12 respectively.

The numeral 13 designates a railway car of the ordinary construction, the same being approximately centrally provided upon its bottom with a pair of transversely arranged substantially U-shaped members 14 and 15 respectively. The arms of the said members have their upper extremities provided with offsets which-have suitable openings .for the reception'of securing elements, preferably in the 'nature of nuts and bolts. The connecting member of each of the elements 14: is horizontally straight and each of the said connecting members have their inner faces grooved or recessed to provide tracks 16. The grooved tracks are adapted to receive rollers 17 which are'mounted for rotation upon the ends of bars 18 and 19. These bars are connected together and sustained in proper spaced relationwith each other through the -medium of a suitable frame work 20, the .same comprising longitudinally extending members and angular connecting members. Connected with. the longitudinal'members'of the frame 20 are depending arms 21 and 22, each of said arms members '25 and 26. The members 25 and substantially V-shaped switch throwing I 26 are arranged at an angle to the bars 18 and 19 and their rollers 17, and the central portions or apex of each of the V-shaped members 25 and 26 are disposed a sufficient distance away from each other to permit of the same passing the contact members 12, as will presently be set forth.

Pivotally secured to each of the bars 18 and 19 are strap members 27 and 28. Each of these straps is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 29, the said openings being adapted for the reception of the teeth 30 provided upon a wheel 31. Each of these wheels 31 is securely connected with a vertically arranged shaft 32, and the said shaft has its upper extremity formed with a round head 33.

The numerals 34 designate substantially cup shaped casings for the heads of the shafts 32, the flanged portions of each of the casings being provided with openings for the reception of securing elements, whereby the said casings are retained upon the underbody of the car.

The numeral 35 designates a supporting member for the lower portions of the shafts 32. This member is secured to the car body in any desired or preferred manner and is provided with substantially U-sha-ped brack ets 36. Both the brackets and the portions of the member 35 adjacent the brackets are formed with longitudinal slots 37 and 38 respectively, and the bodies of the toothed wheels 31 are adapted to be arranged within the said slots. The straps 27 also project through the slots, and secured'to the upper and lower wall provided by the slots 37 and 38 are anti-frictional rollers 39 and 40, the said rollers bearing upon the outer faces of the straps 27 to permit of the free sliding movement of the straps through the slots, when the shafts 32 are rotated.

Securely connected with each'of the shafts 32 is an arm 41, and connected with each of the arms and passing through suitable bearings l2 are oppositely disposed rods 43 and 4:4. Connected with the free ends of each of the rods and arranged upon the platforms of the car 13 are bell-crank levers 45 and 16 respectively, and each of these" bell-crank levers is connected with a pivoted lever 47. Each of the levers 47 is provided with a spring pressed dog 48 which is operated through the medium of a handle 49 which has a rod connection 50 witheach of the said dogs. 2

The numerals 51 designate an arched rack bar, which is secured to the platforms of the car and which is adapted to cooperate with the spring presseddo'gs of the levers, Each of these arched members is centrally provided with a dog-receiving depression 52 and arranged to the opposite sides of the said depression, and at equal distances therefrom are additional depressions 53 and 54, while the rack bar is provided with an additional depression 55 which is disposed a suitable distance from the depression 53. The purpose of all of these depressions will presently be set forth. Each of the levers 4:7 is provided with a bail 56, the said bail adapted to serve as a locking member for either of the handles 19 to lock either of the pawls out of engagement with either of the arched members 51, so that one of the said levers will be free to move when the second lever is operated.

The operation of the device maybe briefly described as follows: We will suppose that the car is traveling in the direction of the arrow A and that the lever 47 is swung toward its dog to occupy the central notch or depression 52 of the rack member 51, and also that either of the levers 7 or 8 have been drawn to open switch. The V-shapedthrowing member 25 will engage with the contact member 12 upon the said lever to swing the same to throw the switch to a closed position, to permit of the car continuing on the main line. l/Ve will again suppose that the car is traveling in the direction of the arrow and the switch is closed to the main line and that the car desires to travel upon the side line 2. The lever, is swung upon its pivot until its dog is brought into engagement with the notch 54L of the member 51, which slides the carriage of the throwing members upon its track to permit of its shoe 26 engaging with the contact member 12 of the lever 7, which, through the medium of its connections swings the switch to an open position to allow the train to travel upon the side line 2. While only one side line and only one switch have been illustrated in the drawings and that upon the right hand side of the main lines, it is of course to be understood that the side lines may be arranged upon the left hand side of the track, but as the construction of such an additional side is similar to that above described, an illustration thereof has not been deemed necessary. However, should the car desire to travel upon the side line to the left hand side of the main line, the lever 47 is swung until its pawl is brought into engage ment with the notch 53 of the member 51 which slides the carriage of the throwing members so that the shoe 25 will contact with a member, similar to the member 12 which will operate to throw the switch to permit of the car running on the siding. When the cars are to travel upon either of the side lines to the main line, the throwing mechanism is operated substantially as above described. It will be noted that when a car travels from a main line to a side line the throw for opening the switch of the main line will, when brought upon the side line, contact with the member 12 of the bell crank lever 8 and again close the switch. This is true also when the train travels from the side line to the main line. The tracks 15 and 16, it will be noted by reference to the drawings, have their ends elevated, as at 57 and 58, and when a train of cars are to pass from either the main line to the side line or from the side line to the main line, the switch is first operated as previously described after which the lever is swung to have its pawl engage with the notch 55, which causes the carriage to travel upon either the elevated portions 57 or 58 of the tracks, thus elevating the throwing mechanism so that the samewill not engage with the contact member adjacent the contact member first actuated, and so that the switch will remain in an open position and must be thrown to a closed position by the mechanism upon the next passing car.

' From the above description taken in con nection with the accompanying drawings,

the simplicity of the device as well as the operation thereof, will, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the art to which such inventions appertain without further detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination with a main line and a side line and a switch between the side line and the main line, and means for throwing the switch to open the side line, said means embodying contact members arranged upon both the main line and the side line, and a car having its body provided with tracks, a frame having its ends provided with rollers engaging the track, said frame being provided with depending members, substantially Vshaped shoes connected with the members, means for sliding the frame transversely of the car to bring either of the shoes into engagement with the contact members of the switch, and means for sustaining the carriage in such position.

2. In combination with a main line and a side line and a switch between the main line and the side line, and means for throwing the switch, said means including contact members arranged upon both t e main line and upon the side line, of a car having its under frame provided with transversely arranged grooved tracks, a frame having rollers arranged within the track, said frame having depending members provided with substantially \I-shaped shoes which are disposed within the path of the contact members, and means arranged at both the front and rear of the car whereby the carriage may be moved to permit of the contact members passing between the shoes or to be contacted by the shoes.

3. In combination with a main line, a side line, aswitch between the main and side lines, and means for throwing the switch, said means including contact members arranged upon both the main and the side lines, of laterally movable shoes arranged upon a car, means operative from either of the platforms of the car for moving the shoes to bring the same out of or into the path of the contact members, and means for elevating the shoes above the said contact members.

4;. In a device for the purpose set forth, the combination with a main line, a side line, a switch for the main and side lines, and means for throwing the switch, said means embodying mechanism arranged upon both the main and the side .lines and including contact members, of a car, spaced tracks arranged transversely below the car and secured to the car, a frame having rollers arranged upon the tracks, said frame having depending members, substantially V-shaped contact shoes secured to the depending memhere, a perforated strap pivotally connected with the frame, a bearing for the strap, a shaft provided with a toothed wheel engaging the perforations of the strap, bearings .for the shaft, an arm upon the shaft, a rod connected with the arm, a bell crank lever connected with the rod, a pivoted lever connected with the bell crank lever, a spring actuated pawl upon the lever, a handle for operating the pawl, a segment, and said segment being provided with depressions adapted to receive the pawl and to indicate the direction of travel of the carriage when the lever is swung to bring the pawl into engagement with any of the said depressions, and the contact shoes being arranged within the path of the contact members for the switch.

5. In combination with a switch and mechanism for throwing the switch, said mechanism including contact members, of a car having its body provided with transversely arranged grooved tracks, the said tracks having elevated ends, a carriage having roller members arranged within the tracks, said carriage having depending members provided with oppositely disposed angular extensions, substantially V -shaped shoes connected with the extensions, said shoes being spaced apart and being arranged within the path of the contact member of the switch, a perforated strap loosely connected with the carriage, a guide support for the strap connected with the under frame of the car, said 'sup-' port having an elongated slot through which the strap passes, an anti-frictional member upon the support and adapted to contact with the strap, a shaft journaled upon the support and upon the under frame of the car, a toothed wheel upon the shaft and adapted to engage with the perforated strap, an arm connected with the shaft, a rod connected with the arm, a bell crank lever pivoted to the platform of the car and connected with the rod, a pivoted lever connected with the bell crank lever, a spring pressed pawl for the lever, a handle for operating the pawl, a segment for the pawl, said segment being provided with notches adapted to be engaged by the pawl, and the said lever adapted to swing to cause the carriage to travel in either di rection upon the elevated ends of the track.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CARROLL PHILLIPS. lVitnesses M. M. HERRING, J. W. ELLIOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. (33f 

